Last year around this time, outdoor growers were standing with their boots deep in the mud; this year, a heat record was recorded in the first 10 days of March. "Get used to it," was the message from weatherman Reinier van den Berg at Zon's Customer and Grower Day in Venlo, held under the theme 'Every Day Different'.
For the third consecutive year, Zon hosted a Customer and Grower Day—a great opportunity for many growers and customers to meet, exchange knowledge, and further strengthen cooperation. The invitation was well received, and director John Willems expressed his satisfaction in his opening speech, calling it an honor to welcome so many growers and buyers.
John Willems and Loek Smets
It wasn't just John who was satisfied—Zon's customers were too. They awarded the cooperative a score of 8.0 in the customer satisfaction survey. Zon will also work with the feedback from this survey, the director stated. For instance, in the coming period, efforts will be focused on fulfilling the desire to offer leafy vegetables, cauliflower, leeks, and peppers.
Field vegetable acreage doubled
The next satisfaction survey is scheduled for growers this year, and John encouraged all growers to participate. He also pledged his commitment to follow through on the survey's recommendations. Initial signs of satisfaction are already evident. Last winter, five large outdoor vegetable growers joined the cooperative, doubling the acreage in one go—thanks in part to existing growers acting as ambassadors. "That's great work," John remarked.
New members of Zon: Compliment and P. van Osch
"For a cooperative that is 110 years old, the advantage is that many things are solidly in place. The downside is that implementing change can sometimes be difficult. But this year, innovations and improvements have gained momentum," noted the Zon director. Thanks to the SIG&F grant, Zon was able to invest in LED lighting, battery storage, and precision equipment, among other things. "A flywheel for further sustainability," the director called the grant. This year, the quality control application QC One will also be launched.
There has also been no shortage of change in the climate, according to the presentation by climate expert Reinier van den Berg. The former RTL weatherman, who presented high and low-pressure systems for 35 years, used data to show that weather extremes in recent years are of a different magnitude than in previous decades. "Of course, extremes are nothing new—1816, for example, had no summer—but both rainfall and drought are becoming increasingly extreme."
Reinier van den Berg with Jeroen Prins and Stefan van Os of Purple Pride
Weather extremes from Valkenburg to Valencia
Van den Berg presented well-known recent examples relevant to the fresh produce sector—from Valkenburg to Venlo to Valencia. He emphasized the importance of water storage. "After all, we don't have a water shortage—the problem is that all the excess comes down at once. And for fruit growers, the risk of night frost damage continues to grow. Moreover, hot and wet weather provides fertile ground for diseases and fungi."
Still, the climate expert didn't want to paint a bleak picture. In fact, Reinier believes that changing weather also presents opportunities to "green the other." Electric cars, the shift to plant-based foods, the circular economy, sustainable packaging, and fair pricing are key pillars that can support this transition, he says. "There is no planet B."
Flemish delegation
Higher fruit and vegetable consumption always resonates well with the fresh produce sector. And the challenges of a changing climate also come with opportunities. "After all, no disaster is also a disaster," John Willems concluded on a hopeful note. Visitors then enjoyed freshly prepared products and—true to the theme of the day—received a weather station to take home. In any case, Reinier's weather forecast for next week is: 'Set to Zon'.
Click here to view the photo report
For more information:
ZON
Venrayseweg 102
5928 RH Venlo
Tel: +31 77 323 9999
info@royalzon.com
www.royalzon.com